Popeye Sparrow
Before he flew off, I got several exposures of this White-crowned Sparrow singing. In looking at my images, the sparrow's left eye is closed in all. That eye might be a little more open here, but it's not readily apparent in this reduction, unfortunately. Whatever the case with the bird's eye, the apparent injury/affliction didn't prevent him from throwing back his head, and singing.
There are raptors hereabouts, including Peregrine Falcons. A one-eyed bird probably won't last long in the wild, so here's hoping the little sparrow's injury will heal quickly, he'll find a mate, and life will go on.
There is an infection Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis that has been afflicting (especially) House Finches:
M. gallisepticum infection in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) causes conjunctivitis with the symptoms of periocular swelling, swollen eyelids, ocular and nasal discharge, impaired vision, depression, and weight loss.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_gallisepticum
Popeye Sparrow
Before he flew off, I got several exposures of this White-crowned Sparrow singing. In looking at my images, the sparrow's left eye is closed in all. That eye might be a little more open here, but it's not readily apparent in this reduction, unfortunately. Whatever the case with the bird's eye, the apparent injury/affliction didn't prevent him from throwing back his head, and singing.
There are raptors hereabouts, including Peregrine Falcons. A one-eyed bird probably won't last long in the wild, so here's hoping the little sparrow's injury will heal quickly, he'll find a mate, and life will go on.
There is an infection Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis that has been afflicting (especially) House Finches:
M. gallisepticum infection in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) causes conjunctivitis with the symptoms of periocular swelling, swollen eyelids, ocular and nasal discharge, impaired vision, depression, and weight loss.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_gallisepticum